Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. is placing greater emphasis than ever before on churning out new products. In January 2006, the Chicago-based company will release eight new flavors to the chewing and chomping public. The move follows the roll-out of seven new items in June, then the biggest expansion over any comparable period in the company's 114-year history.
Before Bill Wrigley became chief executive in 1999, new products typically made up about 5% of annual sales, spokesman Chris Perille said. Now, they constitute 20% of sales.